Flames trade Stempniak and Berra

06Mar

The Calgary Flames have made a pair of deals on trade deadline day, sending forward Lee Stempniak to Pittsburgh for a third round pick and goalie Reto Berra to Colorado for a second round pick, both in this upcoming entry draft.

Both deals are great, IMHO. Berra is our backup goalie which we got for nothing. With Ortio coming up Berra has become expendable. Stempniak was an UFA at the end of the year so you either deal him now, or let him walk for nothing at the end of the season.

The biggest news for the Flames on trade day was a non-trade. They did not deal Mike Cammalleri, who is also a pending free agent. Calgary can only hope to resign him to a deal then trade him in the off-season. Which is unlikely, because why wouldn’t Cammy try the free agent market? He will likely get more money and a choice of where he wants to go. I know Burke said that the price was too low and you don’t want a reputation of giving players away, but you’ve got to find a way to get that deal done. He screwed up for not dealing him earlier.

Calgary recalled forwards Corban Knight, Max Reinhart and Ben Hanowski, as well as goalie Joey MacDonald, from the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.

I think that this just goes to show you that in 2014, Calgary is more Heat than Flames.

In other news, the Flames beat the Senators 4-1. Ortio looked good, Byron, Granlund, Backlund, all looked good. Hudler got hit hard into the boards and didn’t return. Colbourne bent his ankle up going into the boards and also didn’t return. Looks like we’re going to be running with the kids for some time now…